Interested in getting tickets to the LA 2028 Olympics? The process starts now! Yes, this year you’ll be able to buy tickets for an event that’s about 2.5 years away. Let’s get planning!
LA 2028 tickets: The lottery system
The ticket-buying process for an Olympics or Paralympics is pretty involved. The first thing to know, is that tickets for the LA 2028 Olympics and Paralympics are sold through a lottery system. The system helps create a more level playing field (though if you draw a late time slot and find that there aren’t tickets, you might think otherwise), and it helps protect against system crashes when millions of people try to buy tickets at the same time.
To get into the lottery system, you need to create an account. This will automatically register you for the lottery for all ticket drops. By registering, you’ll be put into a drawing for a time slot when you’ll be able to buy tickets during a sale/ticket drop.
If you get a time slot (that’s if, they’re not guaranteed), you’ll be able to purchase tickets at the designated time that the organizing committee gives you.
LA 2028 tickets: Prepare for the drop
If you get a time slot, it won’t be overly long, so be prepared before you log into the sale.
Know when you want to go
Some people go to the Olympics for a few days; some go for the entire time. How long do you want to be there? Reminder: The Olympics will take place July 14-30, 2028.
Know what sports you want to see
It’s a big sports program. It includes 29 core sports, the ones you’re used to seeing at the Olympics. LA 2028 organizers added five additional sports: Baseball/softball, cricket, flag football, lacrosse and squash. There’s something for everyone!
Know when and where they’re happening
There’s nothing worse than buying tickets for two sessions on the same day, only to find out that logistically, you’ll never be able to get to both of them (especially those two events happen to be in LA and Oklahoma City). LA is a big city, and you’ll have to give yourself time to move around and get through venue security. Check out the Olympics venue plan and the competition schedule to help you plan.
That said, LA has organized sports into zones, so there is definitely potential to bop around to a few different ones.
Know your budget
The Olympics are expensive, and the Organizing Committee has to pay for this event somehow, and ticket sales help pay the bills.
Prices start at $28. Start. They go up from there, with popular sports commanding higher ticket prices. Size of venue can also determine ticket prices–with swimming taking place at SoFi stadium, there will be a lot of tickets for each session, so there might be a lot of reasonably-priced options. Ceremonies ticket prices are generally pricey (and it’s highly unlikely that you’ll find many–if any–that are $28).
Each venue is divided into ticket categories, with Category A being the highest price. Not all venues will have the same number of categories, and a Category A price for one sport may not be the same as a Category A price for another sport, so pay attention to the prices as you’re scrolling through the options.
Prelims/group play will be cheaper than finals, so if you’re on a budget, watch some of the earlier action.
Also, events like the marathon, cycling road race and triathlon that take place on city streets will be mostly free to watch (finish lines may be ticketed).
Know how many you want to buy
Sometimes you just want to see it all, but LA 2028 has a ticket limit of 12 tickets per account. Specific sports may have additional ticket limits per account. If you’re going with a group and you want to see multiple events, a few members of your group may need to create accounts and go through the ticket buying process.
LA 2028 tickets: Dates to know
March 18, 2026: Last day you can register for Olympics ticket draws.
March 31-April 7, 2026: Notifications sent on whether you’ve gotten a time slot.
April 2-April 6, 2026: Locals presale. If you live in select counties in and around LA or Oklahoma City, you get access to tickets before anyone else!
April 9-April 19, 2026: First Ticket Drop. Log in, find what’s available and buy!
2027: Paralympic tickets go on sale.
What happens if you don’t get the tickets you want?
Maybe you saw this announcement on social:
Record-breaking fans! 🏃♀️ 💨 ⚡
In the first 24 hours of registration for the LA28 Olympic Ticket Draw*, more than 1.5 million fans showed up to share their excitement for the 2028 Games. Don’t miss out on your chance to be there for every epic moment. Register for the draw by… pic.twitter.com/jMbi2F2ihU
— LA28 (@LA28) January 15, 2026
Don’t be discouraged! There are millions of tickets available–and they won’t all be in the first ticket drop. Drops will continue to happen over the next couple of years. Hospitality packages are also an option. The resale platform will eventually open, because, not surprisingly, not all people who buy tickets for an event that’s two years later will be able to attend.
If you don’t get what you’re looking for, turn off your social media for a couple of days so you don’t get depressed by people who did get tickets. Then keep on planning, because that next ticket drop is coming up. As our friend Ken Hanscom likes to say, buying tickets for the Olympics is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay in the race until you get to the finish line!